1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to service systems for performing electronic apparatus maintenance, and in particular, to a maintenance-service system suitable for office apparatuses such as copying machines.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, servicepersons of sales companies periodically inspect or perform maintenance on electronic apparatuses such as copying machines. Servicepersons repair electronic apparatuses upon notification from users.
The main unit of each copying machine has a malfunction-diagnosis function and a function for storing copying-machine-condition information (date, the number of copies produced, circuit-related measurements, etc.) in an internal memory. Servicepersons read malfunction-diagnosis results and condition information which are stored in the internal memory, and determine the details of maintenance and repair (hereinafter generally referred to as xe2x80x9cmaintenancexe2x80x9d).
A serviceperson cannot know the details of maintenance unless the serviceperson goes to check the copying machine. Accordingly, the serviceperson must always carry various types of components for replacing types of components having a high possibility of breaking as well as highly consumable parts. If the serviceperson does not carry the necessary components, the serviceperson may have to go back to the company to bring the components.
In addition, the copying machine user may not know the time at which the serviceperson will arrive to check the copying machine and, the serviceperson cannot inform the copying machine user of the time of arrival
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a maintenance-service system that increases the efficiency of maintenance operations.
To this end, according to an aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of a maintenance system for using a network to manage apparatuses linked thereto. The maintenance system includes a receiver unit for receiving maintenance information required for the maintenance of each of the managed apparatuses, a message-transfer unit for transferring, to an information terminal of a serviceperson, a message created based on the received maintenance information by the message-transfer unit and which instructs the serviceperson to perform maintenance, an input unit for allowing the serviceperson to input, when the transferred massage is displayed by the information terminal, an estimated time of arrival at a place having a managed apparatus that requires the maintenance, and a transfer unit for transferring the input estimated time of arrival to the managed apparatus.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of a maintenance method for using a network to manage apparatuses linked thereto. The maintenance method includes a receiving step for receiving maintenance information required for the maintenance of each of the managed apparatuses, a message-transfer step for generating a maintenance-instructing message based on the received maintenance information and for transferring the message to an information terminal of a serviceperson, and a transfer step for, when the message is displayed by the information terminal, transferring, to a managed apparatus that requires the maintenance, an estimated time of arrival at which the serviceperson can arrive at a place having the managed apparatus and which is input from the information terminal by the serviceperson.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of a computer-readable recording medium containing a control program for controlling a maintenance system for using a network to manage apparatuses linked thereto. The control program controls a computer in the maintenance system to execute a process including a receiving step for receiving maintenance information which is required for the maintenance of each of the managed apparatuses, a message-transfer step for generating a maintenance-instructing message based on the received maintenance information and for transferring the message to an information terminal of a serviceperson, and a transfer step for, when the message is displayed by the information terminal, transferring, to a managed apparatus that requires the maintenance, an estimated time of arrival at which the serviceperson can arrive at a place having the managed apparatus and which is input from the information terminal by the serviceperson.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is achieved through provision of a control program for controlling a maintenance system for using a network to manage apparatuses linked thereto. The control program controls a computer in the maintenance system to execute a process including a receiving step for receiving maintenance information which is required for the maintenance of each of the managed apparatuses, a message-transfer step for generating a maintenance-instructing message based on the received maintenance information and for transferring the message to an information terminal of a serviceperson, and a transfer step for, when the message is displayed by the information terminal, transferring, to a managed apparatuses that requires the maintenance, an estimated time of arrival at which the serviceperson can arrive at a place having the managed apparatus and which is input from the information terminal by the serviceperson.
Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.